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Oct.
31,
2012

A report on where
things
stand


Ninth Circuit Mourns Passing of Senior Judges Otto Skopil Jr., Betty B. Fletcher...Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charles Sheldon Slates Nov. 21 Retirement...Services Held for Retired Superior Court Commissioner Irwin Garfinkel...Retired Commissioner Gerald Richardson Dies at 68


Judges, Lawyers Under Scrutiny

Ricardo Torres II
Disbarred Los Angeles Attorney

Torres, a onetime rising star in local politics, faces sentencing before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George C. Lomeli on Dec. 6, after pleading guilty to violating Penal Code Sec. 506 by misappropriating client funds.
The plea was based on the same incident that resulted in Torres’ disbarment. Torres reached a stipulation with State Bar prosecutors June 3, in which he agreed to be disbarred for taking almost $90,000 from clients who were seriously injured by a drunk driver in 2005.
A candidate for the state Assembly and the Los Angeles City Charter Commission in separate 1997 elections, Torres is the son of retired Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ricardo A. Torres, a former presiding judge, and is a nephew of retired Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner William Torres.

Judiciary: Vacancies, Appointments



Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

There is one vacancy, in the seat of Judge Stephen Trott, who took senior status in 2004.
Senior Judge Otto Skopil Jr. of Portland, Ore. died Oct. 18 at the age of 93. Senior Judge Betty B. Fletcher of Seattle died Oct. 22 at 89.

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The Senate Judiciary Committee on July 19 approved the nomination of Magistrate Judge Fernando M. Olguin, nominated May 14 to fill the vacancy created by Judge Jacqueline Nguyen’s elevation to the Ninth Circuit.
On July 12, the committee approved the nomination of Jesus G. Bernal, deputy federal public defender in charge of the Riverside office, to succeed Judge Stephen G. Larson. President Obama nominated Bernal April 25 to a seat that had been vacant since Larson resigned Nov. 2, 2009.
Judge Valerie Baker Fairbank took senior status March 1.


There are no vacancies.

First District

Justice Patricia K. Sepulveda retired March 1 from Div. Four.

Second District

Justice Paul Coffee retired from Div. Six on Jan. 31

Third District

There has been a vacancy since Tani Cantil-Sakauye became chief justice in January of last year.

Fifth District

Justice Betty Dawson retired May 9.

Sixth District

Justice Wendy Duffy retired in October of last year.

Seats in other districts are filled.
Los Angeles Superior Court

Judge John Shook retired July 15 of last year, Judge Martha Bellinger July 31, Judge Judith Champagne Sept. 1, Judge Michael Latin Sept. 5, Judge Maral Injejikian Sept. 6, Judge Peter D. Lichtman Oct. 31, Judge Rita Baird Dec. 30, and Judge Burt Pines Dec. 31.
Judge Marjorie Steinberg retired Feb. 14 of this year, Judge Jacqueline Connor Feb. 24, Judge Carl J. West Feb. 29, Judge Gary Hahn March 7, Judge Rose Hom March 27, Judge Anita Dymant April 10, and Judge Joan Comparet-Cassani May 11. Judge Gary E. Daigh retired July 16 and Judge Judith Vander Lans July 31.
Judge Charles Sheldon sat for the last time Oct. 19 and officially retires Nov. 21.
Commissioner George Kalinski retired at the end of June.
Among those whose names have been sent to the JNE Commission as possible appointees to the court are Deputy Alternate Public Defender Beverly Bourne; Superior Court Commissioners Jane Godfrey, Sharon Lewis Miller, Mark Zuckman, David Cowan, Lloyd Loomis, Lori Behar, Dennis Mulcahy and Kenneth Taylor; Irvine attorney James L. Crandall, Deputy County Counsel Julie Ann Silva; Deputy Public Defenders Enrique Monguia, Lee W. Tsao and Johan ElFarrah; Deputy District Attorneys Kathleen Tuttle and Brentford Ferreira; Montebello attorney and school board member Edwin Chau, who is also running for the state Assembly; Los Angeles attorney Douglas W. Stern; Glendale attorney Kenneth Wright, Court of Appeal staff attorneys Kenneth E. Roberson and Kim Nguyen; Los Angeles attorney Angel Navarro; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wesley Hsu.
Services were held Oct. 3 for retired Commissioner Irwin Garfinkel, who died Sept. 29 at the age of 82. He served the court from 1972 to 1995, and was previously a deputy public defender.
Retired Commissioner Gerald Richardson died in Maryland Oct. 8.

Legislation of Interest to the Legal Community

The Legislature was in recess during October.


 

 

 


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